Albarracín Things to Do Tips by blint

The Rebel Without a Cause

This is the only house in the whole of Albarracin that is not painted pinkie orange! I bet the people who live here are real rebels; revolutionaries; people who don't like to follow the crowd!

Anyway, blue is my favourite colour and I loved turning the corner to find such a nice big blue surprise! It really complements the pinkie orange too!

Directions: In the Centre. I can't remember the road name, but I guarantee you'll find it sooner or later! You really can miss it as it stands out like a sore thumb at a little pinky party.

History

From 1012 to 1104 Albarracin was a small Islamic state ruled by Banu Razin of the Berber dynasty.

From 1170 to 1285 it came under the Christian Kingdom of the Azagra family. Where between 1165 and 1333 it was the centre of it's own independent state, the Kingdom of the Azagras.

Watch out below!!!!

Walking around the narrow streets; between the orangey pink bulging buildings I half expected to see a woman throw a bucket of slop out onto the street or two podgy middle aged men with beer guts to fall out of the local tavern sloshing tankards of beer and singing!

Only the odd brightly coloured tourist, street sign or inconsiderate car spoil this image!

Off the Beaten Path.

We were the only foreigners there. I can't believe the Spanish have kept this amazingly well preserved medieval town a secret for so long! To me this is the most beautiful place I've seen in Spain; better than Granada, Cuenca, Ronda, Sevilla etc...

Everything was so well preserved you really felt you had gone back in time........

Directions: Near Teruel, South Aragon

On the road

Try and travel in the daylight because the countryside is absolutely stunning. I have always wanted to go to Utah to see those incredible red rock formations; now I don't have to because they have them in Aragon too!

This photo was was taken from my car window as we left Albarracin and headed for Cuenca! Along other parts of the road the rock is even redder, though my photos of them all turned out blurry and plus it was raining which made taking photos through the windscreen difficult!

Address: Albarracin-Cuenca

Directions: Aragon - Casilla-LaMancha

The Old Walls.

If you fancy a walk, why not go up and walk along the old city walls. It's a great way to stay in shape and the view you get of the town is spectacular!

Directions: They snake around the hills that surround the old town.

All Along the Watch Tower.

Climb up the watchtower and take a look around. Pretend you are a medieval knight on the watch for the enemy; waiting for them to slip out from underneath the blanket of fog.

Directions: To the left.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral dominates the skyline and has a beautiful bell tower, although I think it is out shone by the beauty of the rest of the town. I decided not to enter.

Chocolate

The other place this little town reminds me of is the town used in the film Chocolate in France. That's the film, not the book! It's a whitewashed town in the book!

Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor is the main square in which you can see the very medieval town hall building on one side and lovely old medieval houses on the other!

Most roads lead from or to here. There is a little shop selling postcards and things and the Tourist Information is off one of the roads (the one heading out or maybe in to town depending on the way you look at it).